South Africa's state arms and technology company, Denel, will design and develop medical ventilators in partnership with other state-owned entities to help treat coronavirus patients.

Denel said in a statement on Sunday engineers from Denel Dynamics and Denel Aeronautics were already working round the clock on Project Sabela to produce the ventilators, without giving a target figure.

"We are still in the early stages of the project, but we are optimistic that this local initiative will help to alleviate the dire need for medical ventilators that are required in great numbers at both public and private hospitals,"

A task force has been formed consisting of experts from Denel, Armscor, which acquires defence material on behalf of the Department of Defence, power utility Eskom, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and other entities to investigate designs and produce a prototype of a local medical ventilator.

Du Toit said he was confident the team would soon make huge strides in producing the ventilators at a time of global shortages. South Africa has an estimated 6000 ventilators in public and private hospitals.

Denel, a cornerstone of South Africa's defence industry, is also considering other initiatives in which it could repurpose its current operations and technology to assist the national effort to tackle the health crisis.

This includes converting Casspir mine-protected vehicles into ambulances, the firm said.

South Africa has reported 1,585 coronavirus cases as of late Saturday, with nine deaths.


https://news.trust.org/item/20200405105458-ptuec/

Let us celebrate our own feats.
This is our chance to prove to the world that we are no liabilities.
The French doctors would not have had the audacity to think, let alone say what they said had we been more responsible for ourselves.

This is awesome. African leaders need to encourage locals if we must get to the promise land. Governments need to create enabling environment for indigenous companies to thrive and we also need to change our attitudes by patronizing local products.

If Africans can excell overseas, with government support we ll replicate it here at home.

Cool.

Good news op, but inform your brothers and sisters in RSA That (1) here in NAIJA, prof. patrice iwu has found the compound for covid-19 vaccine (2) innoson vehicle manufacturer(ivm motor) and Bayero university kano (buk) are now producing ventilators which will be in the market very soon,
HAPPY PALM SUNDAY

iAmViper:
Good news op, but inform your brothers and sisters in RSA That (1) here in NAIJA, prof. patrice iwu has found the compound for covid-19 vaccine (2) innoson vehicle manufacturer(ivm motor) and Bayero university kano (buk) are now producing ventilators which will be in the market very soon,
HAPPY PALM SUNDAY

Great to hear. I see the World Health Organisation says a rollout of a vaccine is 18 months away though. It would still be great to have an Africa-made one.

As for Ivm, I see N4billion will help make their plans come true.

Mariangeles:
Let us celebrate our own feats.
This is our chance to prove to the world that we are no liabilities.

And we need to share with ourselves whatever we produce en masse during this corona crisis.

Ahmed0336:
This is awesome. African leaders need to encourage locals if we must get to the promise land. Governments need to create enabling environment for indigenous companies to thrive and we also need to change our attitudes by patronizing local products.

If Africans can excell overseas, with government support we ll replicate it here at home.

Covid-19 is a wake up call indeed. Do u think things will change after this crisis?

WannaHowzit:


Covid-19 is a wake up call indeed. Do u think things will change after this crisis?

Let's be hopeful.